You’re ready to get rid of that circa 1975 wallpaper. Where do you start?
First off, decide if you even need to remove it. If it’s well-attached and has good smooth seams, you can simply wallpaper over the existing layer.
To determine whether this is an option, rub your hand over the wall. If it crinkles, the paper’s beginning to peel and should come off. Or try peeling it from an out-of-the-way corner; if it comes off too easily, you should keep on going.
It’s tough to paper over vinyl, foil or plastic-filmed paper, so you should plan on removing these types.
If everything looks good, do some fine-tuning by checking edges and corners for loose areas. Glue them down with wallpaper paste, and give the paper a wipe-down with a dish detergent solution. Rinse, and prime with a primer intended for use on wallpaper.
If you do need to remove the paper, or you’re planning on painting the walls rather than papering, you’re looking at removing the wallpaper.
If you’re lucky, it’s strippable, which means it’s pretty easy to pull the whole thing off, or at least the top layer of the paper. Lift a corner of the paper with a paint scraper or utility knife then pull up and away from the wall. If it all comes off, you simply need to wash the glue off the walls with a squeegee and some warm water. For tough glue, use a solution of a half cup of dish detergent, a half cup of liquid fabric softener and a five gallon pail of warm water. Scrape here and there as necessary with a 4″ drywall knife. Then rinse well, dry and prep for painting or papering.
It won’t budge? In that case, it’s time to get serious. More on that next time.